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Society and Law

Like other agriworlds, Dara is restricted to a total of a million citizens by the Adeptus Administratum, in order to be classified as an agriworld. Abhumans are not counted towards this restriction, however, and nor are servitors, and so the actual population of Dara is significantly higher than a million people. The actual registered citizens of Dara are primarily humans who are employed by House Reinhardt to handle the seasonal harvest on Dara, operating transports, manning food processors, crewing starports and so forth. Approximately a tenth of the population consists of serfs to House Reinhardt, working as servants for members of the guild in its heart of operations on Dara.

While abhumans are generally looked down upon in the Imperium, the society of Dara is remarkable in that ogryns are treated with an unusual amount of respect. Because the ogryns offer a unique service as herders, whalers and gatherers, selling tremendous amounts of foodstuff to House Reinhardt, they are virtually exempt from the law outside the cities controlled by the guilds. In the eyes of the Imperium, the planet Dara is ruled and populated by humans, with ogryns roaming the wild like trained beasts. One could easily make the argument, however, that Dara belongs to the ogryns and that the guilders of House Reinhardt are their guests.

Because of the unique relationship between House Reinhardt and the ogryn tribes, the hierarchy of Darish society is difficult to describe in simple terms. In addition, the ogryn tribes themselves have no global structure or customs, and while some are militaristic and patriarchal, others are peaceful and technocratic or even anarchistic. The only common bond for ogryns is their allegiance to the Emperor, their god, and by extension to the Imperium. Furthermore, most ogryn tribes (but not all) have ancient contracts and trade pacts with House Reinhardt. The cities of the technologically superior House Reinhardt are in many ways neutral ground, and for rival ogryn tribes to engage in open conflict in House Reinhardt is not only forbidden by Darish law but also a significant taboo.

Among humans, the hierarchy of Dara is easier to define and there is a defined law and judicial system. The highest class of citizens on Dara is the guilders, partners and co-owners of House Reinhardt, equivalents of nobles on other worlds. They elect their leader, the House Lord and Imperial Commander, through a series of democratic elections and meritocratic tests. Below the guilders are the employees of House Reinhardt, whose hierarchy is defined in the same way as most commercial organizations. To be an employee of House Reinhardt brings with it a high status on many worlds in the Anargo sector (but quite the opposite on some worlds), and on Dara itself the employees are extremely privileged compared to other humans residents and offworlders, both financially and legally. Under employees in the human hierarchy of Dara are the citizens not employed by House Reinhardt, who are mostly employed by other local or offworld organizations and trade partners. At the very bottom of the Darish hierarchy are the serfs of House Reinhardt, slaves who are considered little more than property. While the existence of slavery is far from uncommon in the Imperium, it is a tradition that is viewed by many offworlders as cruel and barbaric.